


The Backstory

by jadencross



Series: The Past Has No Grip On Me [2]
Category: Animaniacs
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, Child Abuse, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Do Not Even Try, Domestic Violence, Gen, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, No Incest, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sibling Bonding, Slow To Update, This is not a good thing and if you think it is dot not read this fic, Underage Rape/Non-con, Wakko has auditory dyslexia, and its all off screen, bc I say so and my brother also has it, but not between the siblings, ok so techincally theres incest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 00:54:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28840455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadencross/pseuds/jadencross
Summary: Every toon has a backstory. Often, they're fairly normal, sometimes in an alternate universe, sometimes in our own.Some toons, however, have very bad backstories. Backstories they never want to share. Backstories that hurt, and that they wish weren't real.One has to wonder, then, what sort of backstory toons created during a mental break would have.
Relationships: Dot Warner & Wakko Warner & Yakko Warner, Dot Warner & Wakko Warner & Yakko Warner & Original Character(s)
Series: The Past Has No Grip On Me [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114724
Comments: 16
Kudos: 52





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I need to start this off by saying that this is going to be an INTENSE fic and you need to understand how bad it will be. Check the ratings and the tags. I do not want to trigger anyone. If there is something I missed please let me know. However, if you read past this, I will not take any guilt tripping about the contents of the fic. I have done my best to ensure that everyone knows what this fic with entail so they can stay safe. If you read past this, it's on you. Feel free to stop whenever. 
> 
> I'm writing this fic as a vent of sorts, but any and all angst has a point. This is supposed to be a prequel to another fic that I'm writing, but since I'm writing this one first I want to post it really bad. The other fic will be coming eventually, but for now just understand that this is all setup. I'm very into the seeing how characters react in horrible circumstances. 
> 
> The character payoff may not happen here, but it will. I really reccomend reading the other fic first, but since I haven't written it, I can't ask that much lol. Subscribing to the series would let you know when the other fic goes up tho lol
> 
> Anyways, I've been working super hard on this fic for a long time. I'm very proud of it. And if you think the angst is gratouitous, you can thank my friend Drag for adding fuel to the fire.

Yakko yanked his ears down, wrapping them around his face as he hunched down even more. 

“She’s louder than Wakko,” Snakko laughed from beside him. “Maybe she’ll be more talkative.”

“I hope not,” Yakko groaned. 

Snakko laughed, adjusting Wakko on his lap. Yakko hunched in smaller, hiding his face. The screams of his newest sibling rang through the house. He felt his headache growing, and his heart sank.

He’d never wanted any siblings.

* * *

Wakko kicked Yakko’s gut again, and the four-year-old found his desire to just drop the one-year-old growing exponentially. The only saving grace for Wakko was that Snakko was there and would kill him.

Yakko was stronger than most kids his age, but the wiggling form of his youngest brother was hard to manage. Not to mention the sheer amount of coats the little one was wrapped up in.

For a birthday present, Yakko had stolen a couple of jackets for Snakko and Wakko. He still had a threadbare coat he’d gotten from Uncle Rich a year ago as a “reward,” so he didn’t feel the need to risk getting caught for a third time right now. Eventually, if Uncle Rich wasn’t forthcoming, he’d probably have to steal another coat and pass his current one down.

“Why do _I_ have to carry him again?” Yakko groaned, ducking another branch. 

“Because you have to get used to it for when I start carrying Dot around,” Snakko laughed. 

Yakko grumbled, paws finally hitting the concrete sidewalk that signaled that they were finally on the outskirts of town. He turned, heading South, hiking Wakko higher on his back again.

“How are you so heavy?” Yakko grumbled.

Snakko just laughed. “I don’t get why you don’t like having younger siblings,” he said. “When Momma was pregnant you dreaded Wakko coming, but I like him!” Snakko rubbed Wakko’s head, and Yakko could feel little rumbles against his back.

“Plus,” Snakko continued, “you like me alright.”

“I was one. I didn’t know any better,” Yakko said. He stopped, turning his back towards Snakko. “If you like him so much you should carry him.”

Snakko rolled his eyes, “Fine, but you’re gonna need to get used to carrying him.”

“Or he could learn to walk through the woods himself like we did,” Yakko grumbled under his breath.

Snakko huffed. “He’s more wobbly than we were.”

“He isn’t, and you know that,” Yakko replied. He started when he felt Wakko’s tail thump against his leg.

“Am bad?” the now-second-littlest Warner said, his voice soft and garbled against Yakko’s ear.

Yakko stiffened. “Uhhhhh,” he tried.

“Our big brother is just a grumpy grump,” Snakko said, reaching out to take Wakko into his own arms. Yakko straightened as Snakko began rocking Wakko, holding him against his chest. “He doesn’t mean it.”

Wakko’s sad eyes stared at Yakko, his gaze unconvinced. Yakko’s tail swished angrily behind him, and he turned away. 

Stupid babies and their stupid opinions. Wakko shouldn’t even _exist_ . And now, he has _another_ baby sib. Worse, a _girl._

Yakko fought back a shiver, rubbing his arms against the thought. He began stomping towards the library, noting Snakko’s deep sigh as he followed.

Yakko pushed the door open with a whirl of snow. He stepped inside, shaking himself off in the doorway so he didn’t hurt any of the books. He stepped away from the door as Snakko and Wakko entered behind him. Snakko set Wakko down, shaking himself, before helping to brush Wakko off. Yakko found it annoying that Wakko couldn’t do it himself by now. 

He heard movement from the desk area, and looked up to see a young woman, probably about the age of 25, walking out from the back room.

“Oh, the Warners!” Grammy Ethyl said, her voice kind. “I figured you three would be here soon.” She stepped around the front desk, leaning down in front of the trio.

“I’ve got a new book for you, Wakko!” she reached behind her, pulling out a thick book with cute colors on it. She held it up, showing the cover. On it, was a photo of a polar bear with the words _Polar Bear, Polar Bear_ in black type.

“I found it while I was at the market a few days ago!” she said, chipper. “It teaches you all about polar bears!”

Wakko’s eyes shined, and he reached out to grasp the book. Snakko and Grammy Ethyl both chuckled. Wakko turned to Snakko, holding the book tightly against his chest.

“Go on,” Snakko said. “Let me pick a book and then I’ll join you.”

Wakko nodded, before racing off towards the back of the library, where Grammy Ethyl had a bunch of cushions and toys scattered on the floor. 

“I’ve got one for you, too, Yakko!” Grammy Ethyl stood, moving back towards the front desk. Yakko’s tail began wagging as he moved to follow her.

“I know you have a thing for geography and history, so I grabbed this for you!” Grammy Ethyl held up the book, and Yakko’s eyes widened. 

_The History of Mapmaking_.

Yakko could feel himself practically salivating.

“Really?!” he cried at a volume unfit for a library. He grabbed the book, starting to flip through the pages. Every chapter title filled him with more and more excitement. History _and_ geography? The only thing that would make it better would be the inclusion of Shakespeare.

Grammy Ethyl chuckled. “I figured you would like it,” she said. “Now, I’ll let you have dibs on it, or you can leave it here, like always.”

“Thank you!” Yakko cried. He began walking towards the front reading area, where Wakko never dared to go. He didn’t want to be disturbed.

“You should apologize, at least.” 

Snakko’s voice took Yakko out of his mental haze.

“Huh?” Yakko replied, honestly not knowing what he was talking about.

Snakko rolled his eyes. “You should apologize to Wakko,” he said. “You hurt his feelings. You made him feel like he’s a burden.”

“But he _is_ a burden,” Yakko said, tired of having this conversation. He just wanted to read! 

Snakko glared. “That’s not fair, Yakko,” he said, voice dark. “He didn’t choose to be born.”

Yakko looked away, huffing. Snakko sighed, putting a hand on Yakko’s shoulder.

“I know,” Snakko said, his voice quieter than a whisper. Yakko felt shame well up within himself at the reminder. “I know it's hard, but this isn’t helping.”

“Why not?” Yakko snapped. “It makes him less of a target. It makes Dad never want to take him hunting. It makes him _safe_.”

“But it _hurts_ , Yakko,” Snakko said, his voice sad. “He thinks you hate him.”

Yakko just stared. “Maybe I do,” he replied eventually. “Maybe that would make it easier.”

He turned, pulling his arm from Snakko’s grip and stomping towards his reading corner.

Wakko didn’t need Yakko to be there for him for stuff like emotions and playtime. He had Snakko for that. Snakko had been fine with just Yakko, and Yakko had been fine on his own. And even if he _did_ need another person, they had a new baby sister. Give her a year, and she’ll be in his corner, too.

They didn’t need Yakko.

At least, they didn’t think they did. 

And that was the point.

* * *

Surprisingly, Dot learned how to walk the fastest. 

It had taken Wakko two months, Yakko five, and Snakko six. Dot, however, had only taken one.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it!?” Snakko said, holding Wakko on his lap as Dot waddled around the room. “All your help must have paid off!”

Wakko flapped his arms about, his eyes shining. Wakko seemed to take to being a big brother more like Snakko than Yakko, which Yakko found nice. It meant less work for him. 

Dot stumbled a bit, falling to her knees. Wakko hopped up, running to her side. Gently, he helped her stand. He whispered something, and Dot giggled. 

Wakko moved back towards Snakko and Yakko, the latter of whom was desperately trying to pretend he was reading instead of paying attention. Wakko gestured for Dot, beconning for her to come his way.

Dot babbled, taking shaky steps towards her brothers. Wakko and Snakko clapped and cheered, as she neared them, her cute face alight in joy.

When she was just a foot from Wakko, she suddenly changed her course. Wakko frowned, as Dot stumbled directly into Yakko’s lap, squeals of laughter escaping her as she flopped on his book.

“Hey!” Yakko cried, pulling his book away. He held it aloft, straightening the pages. “You have to take care of books!”

Dot just laughed, reaching for Yakko’s face. Her little hands grasped his muzzle, causing him to wince in pain. She kicked him as she tried to climb more on top of him, and Yakko sighed as he finally pulled her close.

The little girl started poking around his mouth, lifting his lips and inspecting his teeth. She “ooo”ed and “aah”ed as she examined his sharp canines. Yakko just stared at Snakko, looking very put out. 

Snakko just laughed at him.

“Looks like someone likes you, big brother,” Snakko said through chuckles.

Beside him, Wakko crossed his arms, looking away. “ _I_ hep walk,” he grumbled. “ _I_ shou be big broder.”

“If you wanna be her big brother, you take her,” Yakko said, pulling Dot away from him and holding her out. Immediately, Dot began to cry, reaching towards Yakko. Yakko groaned, pulling her back into himself, where she immediately clutched onto him, her tail swishing agitatedly.

Wakko’s face fell even more, his eyes beginning to water. 

Snakko’s face softened, and he patted Wakko on the head. “It’s fine, buddy. She’s probably just not used to Yakko because he’s out working all the time.”

Wakko nodded, his eyes sad. 

* * *

Wakko stood in the kitchen, staring up at the fridge handle, which was a few inches too high for him to reach. Normally he would ask Snakko to open it, but he was doing the laundry and Wakko didn’t want to interfere. Behind him, Dot sat on the floor, tears in her eyes. Wakko knew what it was like to be hungry, and he didn’t want his baby sister to have to suffer through that. 

Trying to judge the angle, Wakko jumped up, gripping the handle in his hands and pushing his paws off the counter. The door opened with a _pop!_ and Wakko let go, falling to the ground and grabbing the door before it could close.

Dot laughed and clapped happily. Wakko grinned, giving a slight bow as he pulled the fridge open all the way. His fur fluffed up against the cold, and he began climbing the shelves. 

At the top, there was a little bit of cured deer from Yakko and Snakko’s most recent hunting trip. Grabbing it, he jumped down, letting the fridge close behind him. He turned to the counter, jumping up so he could reach the cabinet. He reached inside for peanut butter and some bread that Snakko had cut a few days ago.

He took his bounty, pulling it with him and heading towards Dot. He grabbed her plate from that morning, and began making her a sandwich. Dot laughed when he made silly faces while he worked. 

Wakko smiled. Even though he had two older brothers, he had been lonely. Yakko was hardly around, and even when he was he actively shunned Wakko, something that made the younger Warner want to shrink into himself. Snakko would hang out with Wakko a lot, but he did chores around the house since Mom was always staying with her boyfriends. Wakko was often left to his own devices, and he got bored. 

But now, he had Dot! The perfect playmate! And now, he could be a big brother, just like Snakko!

Wakko handed Dot the sandwich. She laughed, taking a bite. Wakko smiled, and began making himself one. After making his sandwich, he returned the supplies to their places before quickly returning to eat himself. 

The two were eating happily, Wakko keeping Dot entertained as she ate.

Suddenly, the door swung open with a crash. Immediately, Wakko felt his fur stand on end. The sound of their mother walking into the house filled his mind, and before he had the wherewithal to grab Dot and run their mother had rounded the counter. 

She gasped when she saw Wakko and Dot. Immediately, her face shifted and her eyes darkened.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” she cried, stomping towards the two. 

Finally, Wakko was able to get up, grabbing Dot and dragging her behind him towards the wall. Their mother picked up the plate of food, angrily throwing it on the counter.

“You little cretins!” their mother shouted, bearing down on them. “You already had food! Now you’re just wasting it! Do you know how much money we already spend on food!”

Wakko whimpered, immediately putting a hand over his mouth. No! He was supposed to be the big brother here! Snakko never whimpered! He had to be strong and protect Dot, just like Snakko did!

Wakko stood taller, biting his cheek to stop any more sounds from coming out. He glared at their mother, trying to hide the shaking in his legs.

“Mom!” Snakko’s voice cried out behind her, causing her to turn to face her second oldest. Snakko slid into the room, his fur fluffed up.

“You!” their mother ground out. “You are in charge of taking care of your siblings. You should have made sure they didn’t eat anything!”

Snakko’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry, Momma,” he said, shrinking back. 

Wakko’s ears perked when he saw Snakko’s tail move, the pattern meaning that it was time for Wakko to make a break for it. He turned to Dot, putting a finger over his lips. Dot nodded, her eyes wide and glassy. Wakko grabbed her hand, not yet old enough to carry her, and began pulling her out of the house. 

Their mother had started shouting at Snakko as Wakko and Dot slipped out the back door. Once outside, Wakko and Dot made a break for it, running into one of the many rundown sheds on the property. Wakko opened the door, beckoning Dot inside. They climbed up the ladder into the loft, where they hunkered behind rotting farming equipment. 

There, Dot finally felt safe enough to start crying.

Wakko held her, trying to rock her the way Snakko always did. He patted her back, trying not to cry himself. He nuzzled her, attempting to purr, but he wasn’t very stable and helpful. Eventually, Dot started purring back, and they were able to stabilize out into a harmony. 

After a while, Snakko joined them, looking tired and sad. He pulled the smaller Warners onto his lap, curling around them protectively. After a moment, he started purring too, adding a tenor to their harmony.

They sat like that until dark, Dot and Wakko’s growling bellies eventually calling them to head back into the house. Snakko lead the way, Wakko and Dot hiding behind him. Once they entered, they found the house empty. Nothing looked broken, so Wakko figured there probably hadn’t been a fight, or at least not a big one. 

Snakko made them sandwiches. As Wakko and Dot sat at the table, Yakko emerged from the hallway, his face shadowed. Snakko ran over to their oldest brother, and they spoke in hushed voices. Wakko cocked an ear, trying to listen, but he couldn't make out the words. 

Snakko’s ears pinned back on his head, and Yakko shook his head, and then Yakko moved to the door, grabbing his coat. Yakko glanced at Wakko and Dot for a moment, and Wakko saw a burning anger mixed with sadness and fear in his eyes, before he shut the door. Snakko watched the door for a bit before returning to the table, rubbing his arms.

Wakko looked at his brother, his eyes inquisitive. Snakko gave a small smile.

“It's okay,” Snakko said. “Yakko’s just going to work for the night.”

Wakko frowned. Yakko normally never worked at night. 

“We can all sleep in our bed, if you want,” Snakko said, his voice tired. Wakko nodded happily. Snakko and Yakko’s bed was bigger and nicer than Wakko and Dot’s.

Snakko gave another smile. They cleaned up the kitchen before heading to bed, Dot falling asleep quickly between Wakko and Snakko.

* * *

When Wakko woke up the next morning, he was warmer than when he went to sleep. Opening his eyes, he noticed an arm slung over him and another body pressed against him. He saw Snakko and Dot sleeping peacefully in front of him, their steady breaths calming in a way few things were.

Wakko adjusted slightly, making his body press more flatly against Yakko’s stomach. He felt Yakko’s soft breath, realizing that he was still asleep. He felt at peace.

Yakko had never held him like this before. He was warmer than Snakko or Dot, his fur rougher and his body more solid. 

Wakko looked at Yakko’s hand, which was currently resting on Dot’s stomach. He paused for a moment, before reaching out with his own hand. He pressed their palms together, wrapping his fingers around Yakko’s. 

To Wakko’s surprise, Yakko’s hand immediately closed. The grip was firm and comforting, but Wakko knew that he could break out at any time. Wakko froze, listening to Yakko’s breathing to make sure he was still asleep. 

Wakko felt a sense of contentment fill him, and he pulled Yakko’s hand toward him, curling it around his chest. Without meaning to, he started purring. 

He closed his eyes, ready to go back to sleep, when he felt Dot’s higher purr join in. Wakko’s eyes shot open, but she was still fast asleep. Soon after, Snakko’s tenor added another layer. Wakko’s purring increased as he felt that harmony he always loved.

Then, there was a rumbling from behind him. A deeper purr than Wakko had ever heard, but one that was still familiar. Yakko shifted, pulling Wakko closer, and Wakko could feel Yakko’s purr through his whole body.

Tears pricked at Wakko’s eyes. The Warner siblings were all purring, a four part harmony that was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. His own purr faltered for a moment, before he started purring even harder. 

His shaking woke Dot, who slowly cracked her eyes open. She woke up, still purring. When she noticed what was going on, she purred even harder, tears springing to her own eyes. 

Dot and Wakko made eye contact, and Dot curled up even closer to him. 

They had never felt so safe and happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the fic! 
> 
> Its starting out slow, but it'll ramp up pretty quickly. There are tons of time skips so sorry about that. I'm going to try to get the other fic up before posting anymore, but we all know that I won't be able to resist posting some. 
> 
> Anyways, thanks for leaving kudos and comments!
> 
> See you next chapter!!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I think now is a good time to mention that I am imagining that little creatures like the Warners (which is what replaces humans in their world in their backstory) age a little differently. Their physical development goes much faster and their adolescence lasts longer, so don't get caught up in if it makes sense for ages.
> 
> I'm definitely not using this as an excuse for the timeline no siree
> 
> Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

Dot was just as impressed by the library as Yakko, Wakko, and Snakko had been. She gasped, looking at the books with awe and excitement. Grammy Ethyl came around the counter, her face happy and excited.

“Oh, who do we have here?” she said, kneeling to be closer to eye level with the youngest Warner. Her tail swished slightly, even though she was an adult.

Dot ducked behind Wakko, who puffed up with pride. He was the big brother now.

“This is Dot,” Snakko said, stepping forward. “She’s our little sister.”

“Nice to meet you, Dot,” Grammy Ethyl said, her face alight. She hunched over a little more, making herself smaller. 

Dot peeked out from behind Wakko. “Hello,” she said softly. 

Grammy Ethyl’s eyes brightened. “Oh, you’re so cute!” she said. Her tail was really beginning to swish now. Dot preened under the complements, stepping out from behind Wakko. “How old are you, little one?”

“I one!” Dot said, grinning and holding up her hand up with one finger raised.

Grammy Ethyl laughed, rocking back onto her feet. “You’re much more outgoing than Wakko and Snakko, huh?” she said. 

“Sure is,” Snakko said, tussling the top of Dot’s head.

Grammy Ethyl stood, moving back towards the front desk. “Does the little cutie want her own library card?”

Dot’s eyes practically glowed. Immediately, she rushed towards the front desk, clamoring up onto the counter. Grammy Ethyl laughed.

“Now, normally no one is allowed on the counter,” she said. “But I’ll let it slide for today.”

Dot’s tail wagged happily, starting to pant at how excited she was. Grammy Ethyl laughed again, pulling out a little card.

“Let’s see,” she said, starting to fill out paperwork. “Do you know how to read little lady?”

Dot’s ears fell. “No,” she said sadly.

“We haven’t had a chance,” Snakko said. “Plus, Wakko still hasn’t gotten the hang of it either.”

“That’s okay,” Grammy Ethyl said. “No one’s here right now, so I can start teaching Dot while you keep working with Wakko, if that’s okay?”

Wakko and Dot’s tails were both wagging now.

“Sounds like it,” Grammy Ethyl said. She wrote a few more things, before sliding the card and a pen to Dot. “Now just sign this, honey.”

Dot looked down at it, confused. Snakko walked up beside her, showing her how to hold the pen. Then, he gripped her hand to help her write her name. Dot’s eyes widened as she saw the letters come out of her pen.

“Ah!” she exclaimed, her tail whacking Snakko in the face. Snakko stepped back, spitting fur out of his mouth. 

Grammy Ethyl chuckled again. “Great!” she said. “Now, this is yours. You can use it to check out books whenever you want! Just make sure to take care of them, and bring them back when you’re done.” She nodded towards Wakko and Snakko. “All of your brothers know the drill, and can help you.” Grammy Ethyl stepped back, opening her arms. “Now, how about that reading lesson?”

Dot jumped into Grammy Ethyl’s arms, excitement filling her. Wakko smiled, following the others towards the children’s section. Snakko sat down at a table, and Wakko went to grab the book he was currently working on, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. He brought it back, sitting down next to Snakko, his tail wagging.

“Alright,” Snakko said, wrapping an arm around Wakko and opening the book. “Start from the beginning.”

Wakko stared at the page. “I...If y...you give ah mou...mou’ ah...cook...ie…”

* * *

It only took two weeks for Dot to learn to read. Within a month she was good enough to move beyond children’s books. Grammy Ethyl said that she learned almost as fast as Yakko had.

Dot smiled, wagging her tail. “What’s Yakko’s favorite book?” she asked with a smile. 

Grammy Ethyl frowned, before handing her _The History of Mapmaking_. The young girl’s eyes lit up, and she rushed to begin reading it. She finished it two months later, and asked what other books Yakko liked.

She read them all.

* * *

“Can I talk to him now?” Dot asked, for the thirtieth time in the past hour.

Snakko sighed, looking up from the book he was working through with Wakko.

“Dot, Yakko and I just got back from a hunting trip,” he said patiently, his tail twitching. “He needs to be left alone.”

Dot frowned. “But you don’t need to be left alone!” she huffed, stomping her foot.

“I don’t do the same things as him,” Snakko said, his eyes darkening. “He needs to recuperate, but I don't. It’s simple as that.”

Dot growled. She didn’t get it. Snakko was around all the time! Snakko took care of Wakko and Dot, and he never wanted to be left alone! But everytime Yakko came back from a hunting trip with Dad and Uncle Rich, he always holed himself up in his room.

She lashed her tail, crossing her arms and looking towards Yakko and Snakko’s room. She had just finished another one of his favorite books! She wanted to talk with him about it. 

Sure, he never really reacted when she followed him around and talked to him about it, but he wasn’t doing anything right now! He could actually talk back!

Dot glanced over at Wakko and Snakko, the latter of whom was helping the former work through yet another baby book. 

Deciding to take a chance, she slid from her chair. Moving towards the bedrooms. 

“Where are you going?” Snakko called, looking up from the book.

“I’m going to my room,” Dot called back. “I wanna play with my pets.”

Snakko rolled his eyes. “Spiders aren’t pets.”

“Yes they are!” Dot shouted, turning. “Furry and Fluffy are the best pets!”

Snakko chuckled. “Fine,” he said, turning back to Wakko. “Just don’t get bit.”

“They would never!” Dot shouted back, moving towards the doors. She checked over her shoulder, making sure Snakko wasn’t looking, before turning the knob to Yakko’s room. 

Quietly, she slipped inside, letting the door click shut softly. She froze, listening for Snakko to start coming down the hallway to yell at her. When no one came, she breathed a sigh of relief, surveying her surroundings. 

The room was as barren as always. A simple dresser sat against one wall next to a desk that Snakko said he and Yakko had built before Wakko was born. The bed was bigger than Dot and Wakko’s, though Snakko always gave the younger Warners the bigger and nicer blankets.

Apparently Yakko had stolen a big fluffy one from Dot and Wakko. Her older brother was curled into a ball, only one ear and his tail peaking out showing that he was in the room. 

Dot padded up to the bed, watching Yakko’s form rise and fall with his breaths. He didn’t seem to be asleep, so she gently poked his tail.

“What,” he snapped, his tail twitching away from her hand. 

Dot knit her brow. “How was your trip?” she asked gently.

Yakko stiffened. “Leave me alone,” he said.

Dot ignored him. “I just finished reading _The Taming of the Shrew,_ ” she said, hopping onto the bed. “Grammy Ethyl said that you liked that book, and I wanted to talk to you about it.”

“Just leave me alone, Dot,” Yakko said, sounding tired.

“But I want to talk to you about this,” she whined. “Grammy Ethyl said that this was your favorite of Shakespeare’s comedies and that--”

“Leave me alone,” Yakko shouted, sitting up and turning to her with a growl.

The blankets fell down around him, and Dot could clearly see that he was crying. She whimpered, trying to make herself small.

“I don’t want to talk to any babies right now,” Yakko growled, his teeth bared. “I was to be alone and I sure don’t want to talk to you.”

Tears immediately sprung to Dot’s eyes. “But I--”

Yakko roughly turned, burying his face back under the blankets. He pulled his tail in as well. 

Dot stood there, tears rolling down her cheeks. After a moment, the door to the room clicked open. She turned her tear-stained face to Snakko, whose face was disappointed, but soft.

“Dot,” he said, opening the door to let her pass.

Dot numbly moved back towards the table, not caring that her tail was dragging on the floor. She hopped back in her seat, immediately putting her arms on the table and burying her face in them. She heard Snakko move to be beside her.

“Dot,” he said again, his voice a little stronger. “I told you not to bother him.”

She didn’t say anything, didn’t move.

Another moment passed. “We need to respect other people’s boundaries,” Snakko continued. “How would you like it if he came into your room when you wanted to be alone?”

“Then at least I’d know he cares!” Dot screamed, her tears beginning to flow harder. Snakko’s eyes widened, and he took a step back.

“He’s never around!” she cried, not caring that her oldest brother could probably hear. “He’s always working, or ignoring us, or being mean!” A sob escaped her. “He never talks to us! He’s always in his room!” She stood, stomping her foot. 

“I’ve read every book that Grammy Ethyl said he likes!” she screamed, feeling her throat scratch. “And he won’t even talk to me about it!” 

Her breathing became quicker, and she sunk back down into the chair, feeling tired. 

“I don’t even remember the last time he talked to me unprompted,” she said, her voice quiet. She curled up on herself, the back of the chair pressing into her back. 

“Why does he hate us?” she asked, her voice barely a whimper.

There was silence in the room. Dot couldn’t even hear Wakko shifting.

After a long, long moment, Snakko moved forward, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Dot,” he said again, his voice soft. “Yakko doesn’t hate you.”

Dot choked out a laugh. “Sure, and pigs can fly.”

“I mean it,” Snakko said. When Dot didn’t respond, Snakko let out a sigh. Gingerly, he pulled Dot off the chair. 

She let him, her feet dangling against his side. Snakko began walking towards Wakko and Dot’s room. Over his shoulder, Dot could see Wakko stand from the table, his ears back and his tail dragging as well.

When they entered the room, Snakko set Dot down on the edge of the bed, picking Wakko up and putting him next to his sister. He then closed the door before kneeling in front of the two youngest Warners.

“Can you look at me, please?” Snakko said, his voice soft. 

Dot looked up reluctantly. Wakko’s tail wrapped around her leg. She gave hers to him and he began playing with it. Snakko studied them for a moment.

“Listen,” Snakko began, his voice gentle. “Our life is very hard. It sucks, and we wish it wasn’t like this, but we have to do things in order to make it better.” He leaned forward, setting his elbows on the bed. 

“Yakko’s trying to make it easier on us,” he said, looking into their eyes. “He’s gone all the time in order to make money.”

Dot frowned. “But I don’t want money,” she said indignantly. 

Snakko let out a small chuckle. “Me either,” he said. “But our parents do. And we get food that way, too.”

“We get food from hunting,” Dot said.

Snakko raised a brow. “And what does Yakko do when he’s not working?”

Dot looked down, crossing her arms. 

“It's not fair,” she said, her tail lashing in Wakko’s grip. “I want to tell him about the books.”

“I’m sure he wants to hear about it,” Snakko said, shifting back onto his heels. “He’s just too tired and needs to be alone.”

Dot huffed. “How’s he too tired to just sit there?” she said, refusing to back down. “He could be in the same position as he is now.”

Snakko sighed. “And would you be okay with that?” he asked. 

Dot looked up, her eyes confused. 

“Would you be okay if the people you talked to never reacted to what you said?” he repeated. “Or, would you be comfortable just not reacting to the people who were talking to you?”

Dot looked away, her ears down. “No,” she admitted. 

“Exactly,” Snakko said. “And Yakko’s too tired to talk, okay? We need to understand and respect people’s boundaries.”

Dot looked down, biting her lip. After a few moments, she spoke.

“Snakko, why was he crying?”

Her second oldest brother froze. She looked up, finding Snakko’s eyes wide and his face pale. His fur fluffed up slightly, and his ears dropped, his gaze darting away from her.

“I’ll tell you when you’re older,” he said finally.

Dot frowned again. “Why can’t you just tell me now?” she asked.

Snakko didn’t say anything, his face still turned away from Dot. She could see his entire body had stiffened up.

She felt anger rise up inside her. She jumped up, tearing her tail from Wakko’s grasp.

“Just tell me!” she cried, gesturing wildly. “It's not fair for you to keep secrets!”

Snakko’s eyes cut to her sharply, his gaze narrowed. “They’re not my secrets,” he said, his voice low. “You’re too young to know.”

“You’re only three years older than me!” Dot shouted. 

“I shouldn’t know _either_!” Snakko shouted.

Immediately, Dot backed down. She hunkered, her tail puffing and ears flattening against her head. Snakko quickly calmed down, crouching to her level.

“Sorry,” he said, his face sad. “I didn’t mean to…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “Sometimes, secrets are things that make a person feel vulnerable.” He met her eyes, pleading. “Yakko doesn’t want you to know, because he doesn’t want _anyone_ to know.”

“Then why do you know?” Dot huffed, though not as angrily as she had been before.

Snakko’s face darkened. “Dad made me,” was all he said.

Dot watched his eyes. They were determined, and angry, and sad. She glanced at her youngest brother, noting that Wakko was playing with his own tail, unmoving. 

She took a deep breath, and then let it go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout-out to my pal Dreamer for beta reading this! The story is starting slow, but it'll ramp up pretty fast, so be prepared.
> 
> See you next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

“Ove’ here!” Wakko called, his tail the only part Dot could see sticking out of the log he was scrambling in. “I foun’ jackpot!”

Dot hefted the wicker basket and hurried over as fast as she could. She nearly tripped on the large object, but she made it over just in time for Wakko to stick his dirt-covered head out of the log. He smiled as she approached, his tongue sticking out of his mouth.

She set the basket down in front of him with a groan. She stepped back as he dropped an armful of mushrooms into the basket, topping off the half-filled basket. He stood back, shaking the dirt from his body. Dot leaned over the basket to admire their prize.

“Wow!” she said, her tail wagging in the air. “We got so much!”

Wakko’s chest puffed up in pride. “It’ not as goo’ as Sakko,” he said in that slurred speech he always had. “But it goo’ fo’ us!”

Dot looked around the clearing. “If we find even more then that means that Yakko will be able to play with us more, right?” she asked, glancing back at her closest brother. 

Wakko knit his brow, crossing his arms. “You belief Sakko?” he grumbled. “Yakko hate us.”

It was Dot’s turn to knit her brow. “Snakko said he didn’t,” she replied. “You don’t believe him?”

Wakko looked away, huffing. “Yakko hated me alway,” he said matter of factly. “Said I’m burden.”

Dot watched him for a bit. “Fine,” she said, her tail lashing behind her. She doubted that her oldest brother had actually  _ said _ that, but the youngest Warner brother had always had trouble hearing things. She looked down at the basket. “Is this enough?”

Wakko looked back over, inspecting the basket, before glancing around the clearing. He perked up, scampering towards the cliff edge a few feet away. Dot followed slowly. 

She stood by her brother, looking over the edge of the cliff. At the bottom, a large creek ran across the forest. It wasn’t a far drop, but the rushing water at the bottom was enough to drag kids like them miles away. 

“Look!” Wakko said, pointing towards a collection of mushrooms a few feet below them. They were on the edge of the rock, seemingly feeding off the wet conditions of the creek.

Dot took a step back. “I dunno, Wakko,” she said slowly. “It looks dangerous.”

Wakko rolled his eyes, lashing his tail. “Baby,” he said. He got onto his stomach, reaching over the edge of the cliff. He grunted as he stretched.

Dot sighed, stepping over and putting her hands on his ankles. Wakko gave her a grin, before reaching out even farther. 

When he finally reached them, he was bent in half, his hips hanging over the edge of the cliff as far as they could go. He swung his arms down, reaching with his claws to finally snag the highest mushrooms.

“Go-it!” he cried, holding his catch up so Dot could see. 

“Great,” Dot said, feeling his weight shift under her uncomfortably. “Can we go now?”

Wakko shook his head. “Mo’e,” he said, tucking the first mushroom into his shirt. He shifted, reaching for more. 

Dot dug her own claws in, feeling him pull out from under him. “Wakko,” she called, after a few moments. He didn’t stop.

“Wakko, please,” she said, feeling him start to shift more. “We should go. I’m not big enough to--”

A sickening crumbling sound cut her off, and she felt Wakko begin to slide out of her grip faster. She screamed, digging her claws into his legs. Wakko screamed, and she wasn’t sure if it was because he was falling or because she had clawed him.

She dug her back claws into the dirt, trying to pull him upwards, but the dirt at the edge of the cliff had crumbled away. Wakko’s center of gravity was now out in the opening. She tried to let go, hoping she could get free and go get Snakko. Wakko was durable, the fall probably wouldn’t kill him.

She tried to ignore the fact that none of them could swim.

But it was too late. She couldn’t get her claws out of his leg in time. She felt herself get pulled forward, and she screamed herself.

The feeling of falling was horrible, but not nearly as horrible as the jerking feeling when it stopped. Wakko screamed as Dot’s arms nearly popped out of her sockets, and she sunk her claws back in instinctually.

It took a moment before Dot figured out why she wasn’t wet.

Looking up, she saw Wakko’s claws sunk into the wet dirt, his fingers gripping as hard as possible for any rock or ledge. They were still sinking, but it was slow. Dot’s claws were dug into his legs so tightly she could feel his muscles flexing. The feeling made her want to vomit, but she didn't’ dare let go. 

She lifted her body slightly, wrapping her legs around one of his in an attempt to get some of the weight off her claws.

Wakko grit his teeth, blood now pouring down his legs where she had scratched him. 

Dot started crying.

“I’m sorry,” she said, removing her claws and seeing the horrific gashes in his legs. She reached up, gripping him around the shoulders.

Wakko didn’t say anything, simply scrambling with his hind paws for traction.

They weren’t going to fall to their deaths, they knew that. 

But they still could drown. 

“Wakko?” a voice called. Dot’s ears perked up.

“Help!” she cried, making Wakko’s cringe at the volume and proximity to his ear.

“Dot?!” the voice came again. She could hear the sound of someone crashing through the trees.

Dot started sobbing again. Wakko pushed up slightly, getting one of his hands to grip slightly higher on the cliff.

A shadow passed over them, and Dot didn’t have time to look up before someone was grabbing her. 

She struggled as she was taken off of Wakko, trying to hold onto her brother, before she felt herself land on the hard ground of the clearing. She looked up in time to see Yakko dragging Wakko over the edge of the cliff, pulling the younger brother onto his chest as they collapsed on the ground. 

The boys laid there, panting, and Dot threw herself on top of them.

“I’m sorry!” she cried, hugging Wakko. “I didn’t mean to scratch you!”

Wakko didn’t say anything, just huffed. 

After a moment of catching their breath, Yakko’s arms wrapped around his younger siblings, dragging them farther away from the cliff. He stood, letting the younger two slide off of him.

“What were you two doing?!” he cried, standing over them.

Dot met his eyes, her vision blurry through tears. Yakko’s fur was fluffed, his eyes wide. He had mud on his chest that had surely come from the younger two. His tail was bushy, sticking up straight behind him. 

“You could have died!” he continued. 

Dot’s lower lip quivered. “We’re * _ sniff* _ sorry,” she managed. 

Wakko was shaking like a leaf, his fur fluffed. 

“We were gettin’ mushroo’,” Wakko whispered. 

Yakko watched them, glancing over to the basket of goodies they had been searching for all day. He softened, but his eyes were still filled with worry. 

“Don’t do that again,” was all he said. He looked back to Wakko.

“Can you walk?”

Wakko looked at his hands, rubbing his fingers together nervously. After a few moments, he shook his head, still not looking up.

Yakko sighed. He looked to Dot. “Can you walk?” he asked.

“Y-yes.” She sniffed. 

“Okay,” Yakko said. He bent down, gathering Wakko up in one arm that he set on his hip. With his other hand he grabbed the basket.

Silently, he began to walk towards the treeline opposite the cliff, the way which Dot knew was home. She got to her feet, walking quickly in order to catch up. 

* * *

Snakko freaked out when they got home. He thanked them for trying to gather food, but to never do it without him again.

Yakko began cooking dinner while Snakko patched Wakko and Dot up. Snakko announced that they would be heading into town the next day to ask Grammy Ethyl if she could teach them to swim. 

Yakko didn’t say anything to them for the rest of the night.

* * *

Wakko slammed the book shut, crossing his arms and turning his body away from the stupid pages that taunted him with every word. He rubbed his sleeve across his eyes, wiping away the tears before anyone could see. 

He sniffed, looking up to where Dot sat in a nearby chair, her copy of some adult book Wakko couldn’t hope to read taunting him. He blinked hard, turning his face towards the window.

He tried to be angry. He tried to fuel his frustration into heat in his chest but all he managed was to make the tears flow faster. A hiccup slipped past his lips, and then he heard the sound he was dreading.

“Wakko?” Snakko’s voice came from behind him, the sound of his paws across the carpet growing louder as he approached. “What’s wrong?”

Wakko bit his lip, firmly turning his body away from Snakko.

“Nothin’” he huffed, trying to keep the wobble out of his voice. 

He wasn’t very successful.

“It’s okay, bubba,” Snakko said, his voice much closer. “I won’t make fun of you. What wrong?”

Wakko felt his tears well up even more. He felt his resolve crumble. 

“Why am I dum’?” he asked, his voice soft and thick. 

Snakko froze. 

“Huh?”

At the sound of his brother's confusion, the dam finally broke. 

Wakko broke out into sobs, his hands reaching to his face. His cries were loud, causing Dot and the two other patrons in the library to look up from their books.

Snakko pulled Wakko into his chest, purring gently and rocking him. 

“It’s okay, bubba,” Snakko said. “It’s okay. Do we need to go outside so you can cry it out?”

Wakko shook his head vigorously. He didn’t want to be singled out even more. 

“Okay,” Snakko said. He gently rubbed Wakko’s back. “What’s wrong?”

“I--” he hiccuped, trying to force the words out of his mouth. “Dot * _ hic _ * can rea’ an’ * _ hic _ * I can’.” Another sob escaped him. “Why am I dum’?”

Snakko rocked him for a few more seconds, thinking.

“You’re not dumb,” he said. He shifted Wakko, bringing him up to look him in the eyes. “Did you hear me?  _ You’re not dumb _ .”

Wakko sniffed, unbelieving.

“Listen,” Snakko said, rubbing Wakko’s ear, “being able to read isn’t everything. You learned to walk before Yakko and me. You taught Dot to walk even faster.” Wakko’s face fell at the mention of his sister. 

A small hand on his arm drew his attention from his brother. Dot was standing next to them, her eyes wet.

“You’re not dumb,” she said, her voice soft. 

“Lia’,” Wakko huffed under his breath. “I am dum’.”

Dot knit her brow. “You learned to swim the fastest,” she said, matter-of-factly. “You figured out how to climb the cabinets and fridge to get food. You found the best hiding places in the sheds.”

“You’re the best at sniffing out stuff while foraging,” Snakko added. “And you’re the best at carrying heavy things.”

Wakko crossed his arms. “Yakko’ the bes’,” he grumbled. 

Snakko poked him. “Because Yakko’s three years older than you. If you were the same age I’m sure you would be winning in that regard.”

Wakko looked away, biting his lip.

“Why can’ I rea’ or tal’?” he asked quietly.

Dot and Snakko exchanged a look.

“I dunno,” Snakko said. He rubbed the top of Wakko’s head. “Maybe your strengths just lie elsewhere?”

That didn’t exactly make Wakko feel any better. He looked at Dot. 

His whole life, he thought he couldn’t read like Yakko and Snakko because they were older than him. But having a younger sister do better than him proved that he really  _ was _ just dumb.

He knew his siblings were just telling him he was good at things to make him feel better.

* * *

“And this little piggy went to market,” Dot finished, holding her hands up, triumphant. She wiggled her fingers, kicking her feet.

“That’s not how it goes, Dot,” came Yakko’s exasperated sigh. 

She looked over, watching her oldest brother as he continued digging in the dirt. The shovel he wielded was taller than him, but he still managed to use it pretty effectively. The sun was only just now hitting the middle of the sky and he had already dug four rows for planting. 

Dot frowned, crossing her arms. “Then  _ you _ teach me how it goes,” she huffed.

Yakko just rolled his eyes, continuing to dig. 

Dot sat there for a few more moments, kicking her feet where they dangled off the cart Mr. Rosenburg had pushed out there that morning when Yakko came to work. Dot had tagged along, bored and chaffing at staying home with Snakko all the time. She wanted adventure! She wanted to see more than just the library and the woods around their house. 

All of her brothers had said it was dangerous, however. Their parents didn’t know they went to the library. Yakko was the only Warner sibling “old enough” to leave on his own, and they all knew it was just because Yakko was the only one in the family who made any money. Snakko would surely be helping, what with him being only a year younger, but with their mother always out of the house, the cooking and cleaning always fell to him.

As far as their parents knew, Wakko and Dot just followed Snakko around the house as he cleaned, and that was that. Their father slept in late, their mother was never around. Yakko and Snakko were always very paranoid about their mother spotting them in town, so Wakko and Dot weren’t ever allowed without company.

Ergo, why Dot had followed Yakko to work.

“Aren’t you tired?” she asked, watching her brother work. 

Yakko sank the shovel into the dirt again, looking up at her with a bewildered expression.

“Huh?” he asked.

Dot rolled her eyes. “Aren’t you tired working all day?” she said again. “I mean, this has to be exhausting.”

Yakko just stared for a moment, before shaking his head and going back to work. 

“It’s not that bad,” he said after a while. “I mean, at least Mr. Rosenburg only asks me to do this stuff in the spring. I would hate to do it in the summer.”

Dot cocked her head. “Then what do you do in the summer?”

Yakko shrugged. “I deliver papers. Retrieve groceries. Clean houses. Do laundry. Help build sheds. Whatever people need.”

“So you don’t do the same thing every day?”

“Nope.” Yakko sank the shovel into the dirt again, straightening and stretching a bit before going back to work. 

“But how do you know where you’re going to be every day?” Dot asked, thinking back. Her whole life, she would always wake up to Yakko already long gone into town or on hunting trips. He would generally come back in the midafternoon or sometimes even the late evenings.

“I don’t always,” Yakko said plainly. “I ask people what they want from me every morning and look for jobs until no one needs me anymore.” He paused to throw some dirt into the pile. “In the spring and fall, I often strike a deal with the farmers around here to do a few things that last more than one day.” He gestured to the field. “The job I’m doing for Mr. Rosenburg is preparing his field for planting. Then, I’m supposed to go to Henry’s house and help him take care of some new calves.”

He went back to digging, and Dot got back to thinking.

She had always thought that Yakko had some specific job that he did, like the people in the stories she read. There was always the banker, or the store clerk, or the librarian. Those people tended to work on a schedule as well, and it had always seemed like he had a very specific one. 

Her tail twitched. “Why doesn’t Dad work like you do?” she asked.

Yakko froze. 

After a few moments, he looked over at Dot, his eyes not making direct contact. 

“He doesn’t want to,” he said, evenly. 

Dot frowned. “But in all the books I read it says that dads are supposed to take care of their families and make money, and that moms are supposed to take care of the house.” She crossed her arms. “Why doesn’t Dad work and why isn’t Mom around?”

Yakko kept digging in silence. 

Dot’s tail started lashing harder, her frown deepening. 

“Yakko,” she said after she felt the silence had gone on too long. 

“What?” he replied, turning to her with burning eyes. “You’re not stupid. Do you really think me telling you will make you feel better?”

Dot hid her flinch, staring him down. “I just want to know why,” she said, jumping to her feet. She stomped one of them. “I’m your little sister, you know? You’re supposed to be my guide or whatever!”

Yakko gave a growl in the back of his throat, his tail lashing side to side.

“Fine,” he spat. “Let me  _ guide _ you on how shitty, and lazy, and narcissistic our parents are!” 

He threw the shovel into the dirt, facing her fully. 

“Our parents  _ hate _ each other, and they  _ hate _ us,” he spat, slowly advancing towards her. 

“Our mom’s a whore who hasn’t slept with her husband in years and at this very moment has three boyfriends! Our father is a drunken idiot with an inferiority complex bigger and deeper than the Grand Canyon that he only thinks he can fill with the suffering of others!”

He had reached her now, and Dot put her hands behind her back to hide her trembling fingers.

“They see us as nothing but physical manifestations of everything they hate about themselves and each other,” Yakko growled, and Dot could practically see steam blowing through his teeth. 

He closed his eyes, panting for a moment. He gripped his hands into fists and straightened, turning his head skyward. He stood like that for a moment, just breathing, before looking back at her.

“Does that make you feel better?” he hissed, his eyes narrowed. 

Dot didn’t move. 

After a moment, Yakko turned, moving back to pick up the shovel and continue working.

After the third dig with the shovel, Dot’s knees gave out. She fell to the ground, her hands coming up to stifle her sobs. She curled in on herself, her back pressed against the wheel of the cart.

Yakko didn’t react, simply continuing to work. His ears were pinned back, and he kept his face at an angle so Dot couldn’t see it.

Despite her attempts, her cries started slipping through her fingers. 

Without looking behind him or stopping, Yakko said, “There’s no one else here. You don’t have to be quiet.”

That was all the invitation Dot needed to start wailing. She threw her head back, thick tears running down the sides of her face. She hiccuped, and sobbed, and still, Yakko worked. 

The shadow of the cart had completely covered her by the time her tears finally dried up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody!
> 
> So, I apologize for this feeling so slow, but I'm really trying to hammer in the dynamics of this world and how it works. There should be about two more chapters like this before shit hits the fan, but I think its important to get a baseline first
> 
> I recently got a job, so I won't be able to work as often as I have been, but I've decided that this fic is my main priority bc I put a lot of thought into this stuff
> 
> Anyways, I'm already working on chapter 4, so I hope its not a long wait, but I also know that saying that has a habit of making my updates take longer. But it will be updated!
> 
> See you next chapter!


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